Following the extension of solvency relief to some universities (those that have already qualified for Stage 2 relief), OCUFA has been active on many fronts of the pension file. Notable among these are consulting with government on draft regulations for transferring assets between plans; implementation of the Morneau report recommendations; and the pension coalition research project. A draft regulation has already been produced […]
ontario
On November 29, 2013, the Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities Released its “ Differentiation Policy Framework .” This document is the finalized version of the framework that was leaked in September and then made public on the Ministry’s website. It lays out the principles, components, and metrics that will guide the Ministry’s differentiation policy going forward, and is intended to inform the Strategic Mandate Agreements (SMAs) currently being […]
The newest issue of Academic Matters is now available online and in faculty mailboxes across Ontario. The magazine is OCUFA’s flagship publication, dedicated to exploring ideas and controversies that matter to academics and academia. In this issue, we’re trying to get to grips with the changing world of graduate education and we’ve assembled an impressive group of contributors […]
The term “program prioritization” has been making headlines recently, as several Ontario universities have begun this controversial rationalization process. Program prioritization involves ranking every academic and administrative program according to set criteria, and then directing more resources to highly ranked programs while marking poor performers for cuts and closure. Program prioritization is based on a […]
On Friday, November 29, 2013, the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU) released its policy framework for differentiation in Ontario’s university and college sector . According to the document, MTCU views differentiation as “a primary policy driver for the system.” As such, the framework will be used to inform the Strategic Mandate Agreement (SMA) process and on-campus initiatives like program prioritization. The document lays […]
Listening to the pundits, you’d think there is an employment crisis for university graduates in Ontario. In fact, our grads are doing just fine despite the negative effects of the financial crisis. The Council of Ontario Universities recently released the results of the 2012 Graduate Survey . According to the report, 92 per cent of those graduating in […]
On November 7, Ontario Finance Minister Charles Sousa presented the government’s Economic Outlook and Fiscal Review to the Ontario Legislature. The fall economic statement allows the government to signal its fiscal priorities between budgets, and Minister Sousa’s November 7 statement indicated a new direction for the provincial government. Under the leadership of Premier Kathleen Wynne, the […]
On October 23rd, the Government of Ontario announced that it was giving universities and other broader public sector pensions plans an additional three years of help to put their pension plans on a sustainable track. Without this regulatory measure, a number of universities would have been required to put large amounts of additional money into their […]
OCUFA hosted its annual Queen’s Park lobby day and reception on Wednesday, October 23. Faculty representatives from across the province were in Toronto for the day to meet with their local MPPs at the provincial legislature. Over the course of a busy day, representatives met with 27 MPPs who have a university in or near […]
The St. Jerome’s University Academic Staff Association (SJUASA) reached a tentative settlement on October 21st. The agreement was ratified by the Association, with 96 per cent voting in favour, on October 24, 2013. The five-year deal includes annual ATB increases of 3% in the first two years, and for the following years, the higher of: University […]
You may have seen some commentary recently suggesting that Canadian professors make more than their American counterparts. But according to new data, American faculty members make considerably more than their colleagues north of the border. International comparisons always face the problem ensuring apples-to-apples comparisons. Without taking account of differences in the way in which the […]
Like many Ontario pension plans, some Ontario university pension plans currently have a funding shortfall, brought on in part by the financial crisis and almost 5 years of historically low interest rates. Problems with faculty pension plans existed before the financial crisis, but the fallout has worsened the situation. Unions and employers in the Ontario university […]
On Sept. 18, 2013, a “confidential” proposed policy framework for the differentiation of Ontario’s universities was leaked to stakeholder groups and the media . OCUFA is concerned that the policy framework may lead to government intrusion into academic decision making, and could have damaging funding consequences for Ontario’s higher education institutions. The proposed framework suggests that Ontario’s universities should differentiate according to eight “components”: […]
OCUFA, as a member of the Ontario University and College Coalition, a coalition of student, staff and faculty organizations, is deeply concerned about the findings of a new report, released today by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, which projects that the average cost of university tuition and other compulsory fees in Ontario will reach […]
This article, by OCUFA President Kate Lawson, originally appeared on The Huffington Post . The idea that universities are somehow not doing what we want them to do has become a popular trope in the editorial pages. To hear some columnists tell it, Canada’s universities are stuck in the past and not up to the labour market challenges […]